Fishing Column: DEP adjusts saltwater fishing regulations for 2010
Martin Armstrong, Correspondent
Published: 10:54 p.m., Friday, April 2, 2010
On March 26, the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced several saltwater regulation changes for 2010.
Under authority of Sections 26-25 and 26-159a of the Connecticut General Statutes and Section 26-159a-22 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies, the Commissioner of Environmental Protection is authorized to establish or adjust, by declaration, closed seasons, length limits, creel limits, trip limits and trip limit adjustment values in order to meet the harvest level for efficient management and to comply with interstate fishery management plans adopted by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC).
In accordance with the aforementioned authority, the following changes in Department Sport Fishing regulations will be effective during 2010.
Black sea bass minimum length has changed for 2010. The minimum size for a legal black sea bass has been increased from 12 to 12.5-inches in length. That does not include the tendril filament on its tail.
Additionally the season for black sea bass has also been changed. Instead of an open year-round season, legal size black sea bass can only be kept between May 22 and Sept. 12.
For Scup (porgy) fans there are two sets of regulations. One set of regulations for those who fish from a party or a charter boat and one set for anglers who fish from shore or from a private boat.
Scup (Porgies) taken from a private boat or from shore has a minimum length requirement of 10.5-inches and a daily creel limit of 10 fish.
Scup (Porgies) caught from a party boat or a charter vessel has a minimum length of 11-inches. Anglers aboard these boats are allowed to keep 10 scup daily if caught between June 8 and Sept. 6. Anglers will be allowed to keep 40 legal size scup if caught from a party of charter boat between Sept. 7 and Oct. 11.
Summer flounder (fluke) minimum length remains at 19.5-inches and a daily creel limit of three fish for 2010. However the season for fluke has changed from June 15 to Aug 19 to May 15 through Aug. 25.
Weakfish fans are not going to be happy with the new limits imposed on this popular sport fish. For 2010 the creel limit has dropped from six fish to just one weakfish per angler per day. The year-round open season and the minimum size of 16-inches has remained the same however.
Winter flounder catch limits had been cut back dramatically. The winter flounder season opened on Thursday with a new creel limit of two flatties per angler per day. That's down from 10 fish a day.
The minimum length for a keeper winter flounder is 12-inches. The season for winter flounder closes on May 30.
These adjustments are being made in compliance with the requirements of the ASMFC Fishery Management Plans for these species. Black sea bass, scup, weakfish and winter flounder adjustments have been made in coordination with either regional or coast wide partner states. Summer flounder are being managed on a state by state basis in 2010. A 35 percent increase in the coast wide recreational harvest limit, coupled with this state staying within its individual harvest target in 2009 made the 35 day expansion to the open season in 2010 possible.
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Last weekend, before the heavy rains came, fishing was real good.
The New York City Reservoir system was red hot. Trout and smallmouth bass were taking live bait at both Kensico and Cross River Reservoirs.
Now, water levels in the rivers and streams are high and the water is running too fast for most anglers to even try fishing.
Chris Miller caught a beautiful 5-pound 11-ounce brown trout at Cross River Reservoir. The big trout grabbed a live shiner. Pete Miller, Chris' brother, preferred to try Kensico Reservoir and came close to matching Chris' catch. Pete landed a 5-pound brown trout. He also used live shivers for bait.
Walter Simmons also did very well at Kensico. He caught a 3.5 and a 4-pound brown trout as well as a 21-inch lake trout. All of his fish were taken using live bait.
On the saltwater scene Ricky Mola said that his customers have found that the water in the Housatonic River is way too high and rough to try fishing for striped bass. Ricky did say that his customers are getting some schoolie size striped bass in the water off the Norwalk Maritime Center.
Sportsman's Den, Pete's Place Bait and Tackle, Fish Tales Bait and Tackle and Fisherman's World are all reporting that they have plenty of clams, sandworms and chum in stock for anglers wanting to fish for winter flounder and striped bass.
John at Fish Tales said that Bob Brady tried fly fishing for striped bass on the Housatonic River before the rains came. He got a couple of hits and caught a 26-inch striper while fishing near the Derby Bridge.
Martin Armstrong is a member of the Fisheries Advisory Council, a lifetime member in Trout Unlimited and a member of the Outdoors Writers Association
Martin Armstrong, Correspondent
Published: 10:54 p.m., Friday, April 2, 2010
On March 26, the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced several saltwater regulation changes for 2010.
Under authority of Sections 26-25 and 26-159a of the Connecticut General Statutes and Section 26-159a-22 of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies, the Commissioner of Environmental Protection is authorized to establish or adjust, by declaration, closed seasons, length limits, creel limits, trip limits and trip limit adjustment values in order to meet the harvest level for efficient management and to comply with interstate fishery management plans adopted by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC).
In accordance with the aforementioned authority, the following changes in Department Sport Fishing regulations will be effective during 2010.
Black sea bass minimum length has changed for 2010. The minimum size for a legal black sea bass has been increased from 12 to 12.5-inches in length. That does not include the tendril filament on its tail.
Additionally the season for black sea bass has also been changed. Instead of an open year-round season, legal size black sea bass can only be kept between May 22 and Sept. 12.
For Scup (porgy) fans there are two sets of regulations. One set of regulations for those who fish from a party or a charter boat and one set for anglers who fish from shore or from a private boat.
Scup (Porgies) taken from a private boat or from shore has a minimum length requirement of 10.5-inches and a daily creel limit of 10 fish.
Scup (Porgies) caught from a party boat or a charter vessel has a minimum length of 11-inches. Anglers aboard these boats are allowed to keep 10 scup daily if caught between June 8 and Sept. 6. Anglers will be allowed to keep 40 legal size scup if caught from a party of charter boat between Sept. 7 and Oct. 11.
Summer flounder (fluke) minimum length remains at 19.5-inches and a daily creel limit of three fish for 2010. However the season for fluke has changed from June 15 to Aug 19 to May 15 through Aug. 25.
Weakfish fans are not going to be happy with the new limits imposed on this popular sport fish. For 2010 the creel limit has dropped from six fish to just one weakfish per angler per day. The year-round open season and the minimum size of 16-inches has remained the same however.
Winter flounder catch limits had been cut back dramatically. The winter flounder season opened on Thursday with a new creel limit of two flatties per angler per day. That's down from 10 fish a day.
The minimum length for a keeper winter flounder is 12-inches. The season for winter flounder closes on May 30.
These adjustments are being made in compliance with the requirements of the ASMFC Fishery Management Plans for these species. Black sea bass, scup, weakfish and winter flounder adjustments have been made in coordination with either regional or coast wide partner states. Summer flounder are being managed on a state by state basis in 2010. A 35 percent increase in the coast wide recreational harvest limit, coupled with this state staying within its individual harvest target in 2009 made the 35 day expansion to the open season in 2010 possible.
q
Last weekend, before the heavy rains came, fishing was real good.
The New York City Reservoir system was red hot. Trout and smallmouth bass were taking live bait at both Kensico and Cross River Reservoirs.
Now, water levels in the rivers and streams are high and the water is running too fast for most anglers to even try fishing.
Chris Miller caught a beautiful 5-pound 11-ounce brown trout at Cross River Reservoir. The big trout grabbed a live shiner. Pete Miller, Chris' brother, preferred to try Kensico Reservoir and came close to matching Chris' catch. Pete landed a 5-pound brown trout. He also used live shivers for bait.
Walter Simmons also did very well at Kensico. He caught a 3.5 and a 4-pound brown trout as well as a 21-inch lake trout. All of his fish were taken using live bait.
On the saltwater scene Ricky Mola said that his customers have found that the water in the Housatonic River is way too high and rough to try fishing for striped bass. Ricky did say that his customers are getting some schoolie size striped bass in the water off the Norwalk Maritime Center.
Sportsman's Den, Pete's Place Bait and Tackle, Fish Tales Bait and Tackle and Fisherman's World are all reporting that they have plenty of clams, sandworms and chum in stock for anglers wanting to fish for winter flounder and striped bass.
John at Fish Tales said that Bob Brady tried fly fishing for striped bass on the Housatonic River before the rains came. He got a couple of hits and caught a 26-inch striper while fishing near the Derby Bridge.
Martin Armstrong is a member of the Fisheries Advisory Council, a lifetime member in Trout Unlimited and a member of the Outdoors Writers Association